The 2009 racing season is still a long way off but the race schedule is starting to take shape. There are a few changes from last year but there will still be lots of racing opportunities for surfskiers.
One of the first changes to notice is that 2 early season races have been dropped from the schedule…JOCC’s January event and FCRCC’s Dueling Hearts event are not scheduled for 2009. [Correction, apparently the JOCC race is indeed scheduled for January 24, 2009. See the comments below for more information.] The first local racing opportunity looks to be the Shack Attack race in Nanaimo…last year we loaded 4 skis on the roof of John’s car to save on ferry costs…the race was quite fun and competitive, with some good pack racing and some bouncy conditions near the turn around…was worth the trip. I believe there may be a Sound Rowers race in La Conner, WA sometime in February for those interested.
The 2 local weekday race series haven’t confirmed their start dates but based on past years they will likely begin on Tuesday April 7 and Thursday May 7, respectively. Last year there was a cool race on Victoria’s gorge waterway hosted by Gorge Rowing and Paddling Club, it was a 30 km marathon race that included a short portage each lap, despite the snow that was falling just before the start it was quite a good race…for both surfski and K1. Information is not yet available about whether this event will be offered again during 2009…if it is then this will be one not to miss.
The Tour de Indian Arm will likely be on again for 2009 but the date for the event has not yet been announced…if it stays the same as last year we can expect a mass of surfskis to converge to Deep Cove on May 3. Last year a few surfskiers participated in a marathon race on the Fraser River at Fort Langley, this race had only a single short portage, and one very tight turn in a small river that flows into the Fraser…overall an interesting, albeit flatwater course, and some great pack racing with speedy K1 racers…the May 9 date for this event has not yet been confirmed.
Rumour has it that the old San Juan Challenge race is being resurrected in a new form…seems it will be a single day race with short and long courses offered, the event will be held in conjuction with the annual Annacortes Waterfront Festival. The San Juan Challenge was a 2 day event that took paddlers through some challenging water conditions around the very scenic San Juan Islands…a course through these waters has the potential to rival the Round Bowen Challenge as being one of the most popular local surfski races.
The Island Iron Small Boats race is being held in Comox, BC…there is no information available yet as to what we can expect for the course’s water conditions…over the past few years this event has been hosted in Victoria taking racers on a challenging course around Trial Island.
Vancouver Ocean Sports has filled the gap left by the Gibsons event which is taking a break after 10 years of race organizing. Information is not yet available as to what will be the course for the new race but it will likely start from Vanier Park which is the location of the VOS club.
CORA’s Canadian Small Boat Champs is moving to Victoria for 2009 so we can expect an interesting course with potential for challenging water conditions outside of the protected harbour.
The other big change for 2009 is that US Surfski Championships have been moved to the August 22/23 weeekend. Hopefully this new date will attract big numbers of paddlers to the event…apparently the course will undergo changes too, with efforts being made to provide greater potential for more downwind paddling conditions. The organizers are making tremendous efforts to make this event more attractive to the surfski communities…you’ll definitely want to do this race, both the single and double ski races.
There is rumour of a Canadian Surfski Championship event being considered by a group in Nanaimo, we’ll have to wait to hear if anything becomes of it. Well that didn’t take long…apparently the new event will be called Canadian Open Paddling Championship to take place in Nanaimo on July 25…with a 24 km surfski race and a 10 km race open to all paddle craft…the organizers are making progress at attracting cash prizing with $2000 already committed.
